1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to surface bonding using a sol-gel and, in particular, to such bonding with a preshaped lamina to produce an electrical or optical product.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bonding materials are commonly used to construct an article by adhering elements thereof. It is thus possible to combine elements formed by incompatible methods. However, a material suitable for bonding may not withstand the operating environment of the completed article or subsequent steps in manufacture, or may interfere with operation of the article, as when used between elements of an optically transmissive article. Also, it may be desired to construct an article of a material, such as diamond, which has many advantageous properties but to which "nothing sticks".
In particular, it is desirable to provide diamond as a temperature and impact resistive coating for optical articles, as a protective and yet heat conductive coating for electronic devices, and as a low friction coating. The development of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for diamond would appear to make these uses of diamond practical; however, the temperature and other conditions for CVD are highly destructive to most materials and, particularly, to optical materials typically used in the infrared and to materials used for semiconductor circuits. Heretofore and in general, it has not been possible to adhere diamond to other materials for use in many environments. For example, chalcogenide glasses have been used to "braze" diamond as a protective coating to zinc sulfide or selenide; however, these glasses typically soften at about 230.degree. C. although thermal expansion differences between the other materials would permit their use together to 600.degree.-800.degree. C.
Similarly and insofar as known to the applicants, the prior art provides no way to attach a layer of a material such as diamond to a metal element, such as a fuselage, for use as a window subject to impact and aerodynamic heating; to provide a well-adhered and protective layer of such a material for a surface, as of an integrated circuit or other electronic device, having an arbitrary configuration, operating at temperatures of several hundred degrees Celsius and, therefore, advantageously provided with a highly thermally conductive mounting; or to provide a low friction layer of such a material for a variety of surfaces. It would thus be highly desirable to provide a method for adhering diamond and other substances to a material such as--but not limited to--glasses, ceramics, metals and metaloids and their oxides, nitrides, and the like that does not damage the material and is effective over a wide range of environmental conditions.